SAN ANDREAS – An elderly woman and a deputy were injured during a hostage situation that left the suspect dead Thursday night in Calaveras County.
At about 10:39pm dispatchers received a 911 call regarding an argument between a man and a woman at the Sierra Inn Motel. The caller reported the man had pointed a gun at the woman’s head. Deputies with the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office responded to investigate, but the suspect had left the area before they arrived.
Deputies began searching the area for the suspect, treating the case as a domestic violence incident. As a deputy interviewed the victim at an apartment complex, the suspect ambushed the deputy and victim opening fire and wounding the deputy. The deputy was able to get the victim to safety.
Additional deputies, CHP officers and Angels Camp Police responded to the scene and began searching the apartment complex. The suspect emerged from an apartment holding an elderly woman hostage with a gun. Authorities believe the hostage was unrelated to the initial incident.
Authorities tried to reason with the man and get him to release the hostage, but their efforts did not work. As the suspect posed a threat to the hostage, authorities opened fire. Both the suspect and hostage were wounded during the shooting. The suspect died at the scene, the hostage was transported by air ambulance to a regional trauma center for care.
The ambushed deputy was airlifted as well. Both he and the hostage were expected to survive.
The incident is under investigation by multiple agencies. No further details were released Friday afternoon.
